Match officials for Pakistan-New Zealand T20I series announced

LAHORE: The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) on Saturday, unveiled match officials for the five-match T20I series Pakistan and New Zealand, scheduled to commence on April 18 in Rawalpindi.

Andy Pycroft, a member of the ICC Elite Panel of Match Referees, will lead the playing control team that includes five umpires, namely Ahsan Raza (elite panellist), Aleem Dar, Asif Yaqoob, Faisal Afridi and Rashid Riaz (all from the ICC’s international panel), who will share umpiring responsibilities.

Pycroft, a former Zimbabwe Test batter, has to date refereed in 144 T20Is. When he will stand in the second T20I on 20 April, he will move ahead of Sri Lanka’s Ranjan Madugalle in second place in the list of match referees to officiate in most T20Is. The list is headed by New Zealand’s Jeff Crowe (175).

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Rawalpindi’s Pindi Cricket Stadium will host the opening three T20Is between Pakistan and New Zealand on 18, 20 and 21 April before action shift to Lahore’s Gaddafi Stadium where the last two matches will be played on 25 and 27 April.

Umpire and match referee appointments:

18 April – First T20I. Ahsan Raza and Aleem Dar (on-field umpires), Faisal Afridi (third umpire), Rashid Riaz (fourth umpire); Andy Pycroft (match referee)

20 April – Second T20I. Asif Yaqoob and Aleem Dar (on-field umpires), Ahsan Raza (third umpire), Faisal Afridi (fourth umpire); Andy Pycroft (match referee)

21 April – Third T20I. Ahzan Raza and Asif Yaqoob (on-field umpires), Rashid Riaz (third umpire), Aleem Dar (fourth umpire); Andy Pycroft (match referee)

25 April – Fourth T20I. Faisal Afridi and Rashid Riaz (on-field umpires), Asif Yaqoob (third umpire), Ahsan Raza (fourth umpire); Andy Pycroft (match referee)

27 April – Rashid Riaz and Faisal Afridi (on-field umpires), Aleem Dar (third umpire), Asif Yaqoob (fourth umpire); Andy Pycroft (match referee)

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